OILEÁN is a new, engaging & visually beautiful series of six individual programmes shot on six islands off the coast of Ireland. These programmes each tell an unusual tale & reveal an unusual insight – not just into one particular island, they tell us something about ourselves because after all we are all islanders.
The first programme in the series is OILEÁN: John Lennon.
In 1968 John Lennon bought his very own island – Dorinish in Clew Bay, Co. Mayo. Maybe he was lured by the mythical magic that surround islands – maybe he was looking for his very own island getaway and although he only visited the island a few times, it will be forever associated with the “working class hero” from Merseyside.
When life took over he gave custodianship to Sid Rawle ‘King of the Hippie’s’ who set up a commune there from 1971-1973. “John asked me to go and see him, he said I have bought this Island in Clew Bay, I am not going to do anything with it, why don’t you put your commune there.” said Sid Rawle
What might have been Lennon’s dream was in part realised by these hippies who he allowed to colonise the island. At the time “free love” and communal living was definitely not approved of by the conservative rural community – who feared: “That they would go into our dance halls, cinemas and any place….and they would pass around their drugs either in cigarette form, cakes,or sweets.” Local Westport woman, RTÉ Newsbeat 1971.
Oliver Sweeney a beatles fan to his marrow retraces the Lennon odyssey and meets up with Sid Rawle, the King of the hippies on Dorinish 38-years-ago, who makes his first return to the island and his colourful youth.
In this documentary we ask you to take a journey, with Oliver and Sid, across the sea to Dorinis – to contemplate what our dreams are all about.